The Dragon's Match

XVIII

XVIII

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

There was a brief moment sometime before dawn when Lillian awakened. Silence and dim light shrouded her, amplified by the intermittent droplets of rain that clung and fell from the leaves outside in soothing abandon as a gentle reminder of the torrential downpour of the evening prior.

A deep sigh brought her attention to the male that she was pressed against and she started for it, tilting her head back slightly to study the face so achingly close to hers. She quickly ascertained that the sound he had emitted was made from the recesses of his sleep. She had remained in his arms, tucked against his chest and under his chin while they slept, and her leg was wedged between his. The intimacy of their embrace was not lost on her and she considered it carefully for several long moments, torn between lurching away from him in embarrassment or remaining yet in his embrace for a few hours more.

She couldn't recall when she had fallen asleep, but somehow she had, feeling entirely too comfortable with him. After the evening they had shared, she should feel like withdrawing from him, her vulnerability more exposed than ever before, but Lillian did not feel threatened. She felt relieved almost, lightened, as if a cumbersome burden had been lifted from her soul even if tiny inklings of embarrassment at her current position were creeping through.

That, she reasoned, was simply because she had never shared such an intimate embrace with a man before.

Soon, his deep and even breathing lulled her into remaining with him in the bed, her body still tired and longing for more rest after the late evening, and Lillian spent some time studying him.

Aëghan was turned towards her, one arm draped over her waist and the other under her cheek as he held her close. Like this, Lillian was provided an opportunity to stare at him openly.

She knew long before that he was exquisitely handsome, yet the calm mask of his face as it rested against the pristine linen of his pillow was almost too breathtaking. There was no cavalier smile curling his wide lips, his cheeks unlined and covered with the dark shadows of hair regrowth. His hair hung in disarray over his slanted forehead, her fingers itching to brush it away from him as it curled over his eyes yet she resisted lest she disturb his slumber and thus her unobstructed perusal of him. The man was, she realised, entirely too flawless. His swarthy skin was shamelessly unblemished except for a tiny, almost indiscernible scar high against his temple- something that she had only noticed for the first time then. She wondered for it briefly knowing that he had the coveted ability to magically heal injuries for his kind, therefore any scarring sustained inferred that he had possibly chosen to allow it to occur.

Somehow, Lillian drifted to sleep by tucking her head back against his chest and under his chin once more. When she woke next, the bed was empty and so were his chambers. Judging by the light streaming through the room, it was well past sunrise and she no doubt had slept the morning away.

Yet that left her wondering where Aëghan had disappeared to and whether she should leave. After all, was there any purpose in staying in his private rooms for longer than necessary?

She sat up, the furs pooling about her hips, and surveyed the chamber quietly. The door was slightly ajar and across the hall she could make out her own rooms, as well as that odious feline reposing indolently on her pillow.

Further inspection revealed that Aëghan kept his quarters immaculate. Even adorned with a level of opulence that would put her own family's furnishings to shame, there was a tasteful purpose to most items occupying his personal space. Lillian swung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped off, stretching as a yawn enveloped her. Idly, she began to trail about the perimeter of the chamber, taking in the foliage that interlocked with the stone ruins, a few errant vines uncurling from their perches to greet her. To either side of his bed were two arching windows that were framed with heavy drapes of royal blue satin and overlooked a resplendent courtyard outside that was teeming with greenery and life, almost without restraint and allowed to grow naturally about the area. It was not unpleasant to gaze upon and she momentarily appreciated the gentle sounds of the birds and other creatures from the boughs of the trees that towered over the structure.